Added support for external video and images

I've added support to simplify linking images and video from external services. It's really simple, just copy and paste codes from the external service into the boxes in the blog/forum/etc submission form.

Similarly I added support to simply posting links to external sites. It works the same way.

They are cute and all, but they make it rather difficult to concentrate on typing in the comment box. Plus they make my cursor blink like a rabid gerbil on speed. Is there any way to make them less intrusive?

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Is there any way to colaspe it on a new post?
Submit is a long way down the page now, and I don't really understand what they are all for yet.
Personally I would rather see something to make links easier to make.

davew, I think you're referring to all the icons, right? It was ChasS who made them animating, to get non-animating versions he'd have to do some work on the graphics.

gman, that's the point of these added fields is to make it easier to add links. For youtube or other video, just copy and paste the embed code from the external service. Same for images. For links just copy/paste the URL and text. Real easy. They're in different boxes so that the software knows which is which and can treat them correctly based on what they are.

I think there's two ways to make the page "shorter".. one is to start the field collapsed, the second is to make the fields so they don't allow multiple values. Right now they allow multiple values and that's why there are three instances of each of the fields. But if I make it not be multiple value.. e.g. you could only post one youtube video per posting.. then it's just one entry box for youtube.

What about the possible dangers of linking to images stored on other sites you warned me about? What I warned you about was cases where the webmaster isn't appreciative of the image being linked. The external image services like Flikr are specifically intending for their images (or in the case of gootube, video) to be shared on other sites.

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I personally don't like the toys displayed while I am trying to type either. I think we need a poll to ask the members if they should go or stay. Not only that but you don't get to see what they really look like.

ILBCNU
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So.. there's a different thread, http://visforvoltage.org/forum/forums/1926 .. for the blinky icons, this is the thread for external video ... :) ... but, okay, so v1 isn't exactly a hit. I think that's your point. I do think the general idea of making it easier to use the blinky icons is itself a sound idea..